The Mental Health Unit in Central Regional Referral Hospital was established in 2014 by an expatriate psychiatrist and a psychiatry nurse. Since 2016, a team of a clinical officer, psychiatry nurse, Clinical Nurse, clinical counsellors and medical doctors have been providing in-hospital and community-based mental health services, including psychological first aid during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Substance Use Disorder clinic was established in 2023 and has provided services to 383 clients in 2023 and 309 in 2024. The Substance Use Disorder clinic has been working in close coordination with the PEMA Centre and the Psychiatry Department of the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital in providing counselling and therapy sessions.
On 24 December, the Mental Health Unit team had an interactive session with Dasho Dechen Wangmo from The PEMA and Dr Ugyen Dema, Head of Department, Department of Psychiatry Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital to update on the activities carried out and services provided by the Mental Health Unit. Dasho Dechen provided with an overview of challenges and opportunities in developing a mechanism to prevent substance user disorders, provide all necessary help to clients and to leverage on promotion of mental health as a component of overall wellbeing. Dasho Dechen also emphasized on streamlining all mental health activities to fulfill His Majesty’s vision for zero drug cases in the Gelephu Mindfulness City through adoption of key strategies that are guided by Bhutanese values.
